Caravaning has divided our life into two worlds
Stana Wolfova is the editor in chief of the online magazine Brainstorm, which offers articles about traveling, studying abroad and whole lifestyle for young people aged 18-26 years. Given the theme of the magazine it's not very surprising that Stana likes to travel.
But she enjoys even more going to music festivals and concerts and she also paints and writes poetry. She has decided to ask me some questions and write little something about my lifestyle. As I have found her article quite enjoyable, I decided to translate it and share it with you. Hope you enjoy it!
When someone asks you who from the Czech Republic would you link with companies like: Coca Cola, Adidas, Toyota, Bosch, Generali, Samsung and Sony, probably everyone will say that there is no one from our homeland. And yet we have someone like that, called Víta Válka, and as he himself says: “Illustrations, websites, icons and logos. That's me.”
But if you were looking for him at home, you probably wouldn't find him. Vita has decided some time ago to pack his bags, buy a caravan and he told the family that they're gonna travel around the Europe in the caravan and he'll work remotely on the computer. These modern nomads gave themselves the name „digital nomads“.
In a way, it is a very beautiful vision: flexible working hours, previously unseen parts of the world and not knowing what comes the next day. After reading Vita's website and many articles about other families, who has chosen this lifestyle, I didn't want anything but to pack my bags as well and experience exactly the same things. But a certain skype message from my classmate asking about our homework has pulled me out of my dream world back to the reality and I realised, that I can't go to discover the Dutch lowlands, because I have to go to school tomorrow. Again.
Very little people have the courage to do something like that, to give up their whole life and just leave. But Víťa has done it and he travels with his family, while working remotely. He is a graphic designer and illustrator, so he only needs a tablet, a computer and an internet connection to do his job.
Inspiration on the road
How has the trailer changed your life? What about weekends, visiting grandma, after-school activities, how do you feel about that while traveling?
Caravan travels have divided our life into two different worlds that inspire each other. When we're at home, I work very similarly as when traveling. Only I do more work, because it eliminates the time spent on wheels (at home is 7h/per day, on the road 5:45h/per day). But on the road I get more inspiration .
When we're at home, we try to intensify visiting offices and after-school activites. Our meetings with family and friends are much more appreciated and enjoyed.
,,If living on an area of 2 × 5 meters can work…”
Turtle in Turkey
How do your kids like to travel?
At first, I had some doubts, if living on an area of 2 × 5 meters can work, but my kids and wife fell in love with the caravan maybe even more than myself. When we go somewhere outside, the keep en eye on everything – like if we didn't forget to connect the caravan – and each day is a new and great adventure for them. Living at home becomes stereotype after a while, but on the road each day is a new challenge.
I've read that your life goal is to „earn as much money before the age of thirty that I'd be able to put my feet on the table“. Is it really what you want? Wouldn't it be little bit boring?
On the contrary. I like that vision – only the deadline is the age of forty now. I should clarify a bit. For me, having my feet on the table means freeing my hands from making money and starting to devote my time to more important things. For example, helping a family, helping charities and giving thanks to my surroundings for allowing me to achieve independence. Whether financially, or by lecturing, meddling in other people's business, or simply by helping them to add one brick to another.
Do you have any regular schedule here? Or do you let things come naturally?
It depends. I am very organized when it comes to work and always try to use every minute so the client is satisfied. When it comes to traveling, I devote few days to planning the trip, but while on the journey we are flexible. We spent more time at places we love, and places we don’t we leave as fast as possible.
Generally speaking, I have long-term goals and I try to live my life so every action gets me closer to them. One of the goals is financial independence, other is to have a lot of time for our kids so we can pass onto them what we learned about life.
Off-Season Traveling
For now, your kids don’t go to school and your wife is on maternity leave, but what to do when that’s over? Does that mean an end to traveling?
Up to fifth grade (in the US an end of primary school), traveling with kids is manageable as long as you teach your kids the material required by the school curriculum. Since 6th grade (middle school) however, we will be locked down at our permanent address for 10 months in a year, unless before then teaching by Skype will be a reality, like it is currently done by a school in Brezova, little town in the Czech Republic. However, currently we have the freedom so we are trying to get as much out of it as possible.
Off-season traveling is so much better. Camping sites charge half the price, and there is no need to make reservation three months ahead, nor are there any lines at sightseeing sites. Often, even the weather is just right if we travel right outside the main season or in the South.
Original article in Czech was published in Brainstormag.
